This Hinduism Simplified is intended for youths who are
being brought up in a western environment away from the mainstream of the Hindu
culture. The need to present the concept of Hinduism in this easy-to-understand
form developed from the author's experience of teaching the basics of Hinduism
to such youths. An attempt has been made to present an overall picture of
Hinduism by answering some frequently asked questions by such youths. Since the
basic philosophies of Hinduism were founded by curious people seeking the truth
of Nature for human welfare from those who were knowledgeable, a medium of
questions and answers is chosen for the presentation. A mother-child dialogue
is selected because of its uniqueness, and eighteen questions and answers have
been selected because of the importance of this number in the Hindu scriptures.
It is hoped that this booklet will serve the purpose of those for whom it is
intended.

The information in this booklet is intended to provide
only the basics of Hinduism. For more information, the readers are advised to
consult other authoritative sources on Hinduism which are readily available.

The incentive to interact with children for the purpose
of teaching them the basics of Hinduism came from the experiences with my own
children Chandan, Anjana,
and Sanjeev to whom this booklet is dedicated.

GangadharChoudhary.

9604 Linfield DriveCincinati,
Ohio45242U.S.A.

October 24, 1987

BhaiyaDooj Day

Any suggestions or comments about this booklet will be
appreciated.

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PREFACE TO THE SECOND EDITION

This expanded version of Hinduism Simplified is presented
in response to the suggestions from the readers, both youths and adults.
Besides some minor changes more details on the questions of the scriptures, the
gods and goddesses, the Hindu calendar, and the fasts and festivals have been
given. In spite of the changes the simplicity and brevity of the booklet have
been maintained.

I hope this new Hinduism Simplified will serve the needs
of the readers.

GangadharChoudhary

Question 1

Child : Mom, can you tell me about the Hindu
religion and how it differs from the other religions of the world

Mother : Yes, dear, that's a very good question. First of all,
let me start with some basics. Hinduism is not a religion in the strict sense
of the word. It is recommendation for living a disciplined, pure and blissful
life needed for God realization. The word religion comes from the Latin "religio" which means binding the soul back to God.
Other religions have strict laws and back to God. Other religions have strict
laws and beliefs to attain this God realization. Hindus, however, do not
believe in such strict laws. The desire to free one's self from worldly bondage
and to obtain a better present and next life through proper karma (actions) in
the present life is the basis of the Hindu way of life. Your karma (good or bad
actions) returns to you with results and act as your teacher to guide you in
the right directions in the life. The guidelines for better living to achieve
such a liberation (moksha)
was revealed directly by God to our ancient sages who used to meditate
constantly for the welfare of all human beings. These revelations are the
contents of the Vedas, our fundamental scripture. It is also called sanatana dharma, an eternal discipline of life or Vedic
dharma, the proper way of living based on Vedas. Hindus believe that every
human being is divine by nature and the purpose of life is to expose that
divinity to the fullest possible extent. Based on the Vedic recommendations,
Hindus believe in one formless and all pervading God called Brahma who is the
creator of the universe and represents the supreme truth.

For all practical purposes, in the modern times the Hindu
way of life is called Hinduism. It is the oldest living religion on earth.
Because of its basic philosophies the Hindu religion can be considered a
universal religion.

The main difference between Hinduism and other religions
is that Hinduism did not evolve out of the teachings of any one saint, prophet
or messiah. Instead, the vedic
thoughts were obtained by various sages over the centuries. A very big
difference is that Hinduism teaches reincarnation, or rebirth of soul.
Moreover, Hinduism is a very accommodating and compassionate religion.
Coexistence with other religions with respect and humbleness is the core of the
Hindu way of life. Hindus not only love their neighbors but they also love and
pray for everyone. A Hindu life is meant for humanity and is achieved through
uplifting of one's morality. Unlike people of other religious faiths Hindus
regard the mother, the father, the teacher and all their guests as God.

Question : 2
Child : Mom can you please tell me more about the Vedas and dharma which you
just talked about?

Mother : The Vedas are the
original scriptures of Hinduism on which entire Hindu way of life is based. The
ethical way of living as suggested in the Vedas is called dharma. Dharma is
God's divine law for discipline and proper development of human beings. By
Vedas no particular book is meant. The revelations that the ancient seekers of
truth received through meditations were transferred from generation to
generation through oral teachings. Many of those spoken concepts have been
compiled and are available in volumes that we now call the Vedas. The Vedas are
a collection of hymns, prayers, rituals, benedictions, sacrificial formulas and
chants There are four distinct Vedas : Rig Veda, Yajur Veda, Sam Veda and Atharva
Veda. Rig Veda the oldest among the Vedas mainly consists of hymns and chants
praising God; Yajur Veda contains divine verses in
musical form; and Atharva Veda contains guidelines
for the proper way of living. The four Vedas were revealed to the sages Agni, Vayu, Aditya
and Angira respectively. Later the Vedas were
systemized for human benefit by sage Vyas.

Each of the Vedas contains similar essential detains on how to lead
a life with a sound body, mind, and intellect and also how to attain a better
next life. Each Veda consists of a ritual part and a philosophical part. The
philosophical part of Vedas is called Upanishad. There are 108 Upanishads in
all.

Question 3Child : Could you tell me some more about
reincarnation in Hinduism?

Mother : Yes my child. The
word reincarnation literally means coming again into physical body. According
to our scriptures, a soul passes into a body at birth and migrates into another
body at death. The change of the bodies is just like putting a new garment and
discarding it when it is worn out. The kind of body the soul enters into at
death determined by one's actions (karma) in present life. A person's karma
determines in what form he will reappear. He may come back in a higher (human)
or lower (animal) life form. Good karma in the present life leads to a better
next life and bad karma in the present life leads to a worst next life. This
cycle of rebirth continues until one achieves liberation from worldly bondage (moksha). At the liberated stage a soul becomes godly and
reincarnation stops.

Question 4 Child: Mom, what does the "Om" sound and sign mean? I often see and
hear it at every Hindu rite or service.

Mother: "Om"
is the most sacred syllable often spoken during the practice of any Hindu
rites. It is a holy character of the Sanskrit language, the language of God.
The character is a composite of three different letters of the Sanskrit
alphabet. The English equivalent of those are "a",
"u", and "m", and represent the Trinity. The Trinity
is composed of the three supreme Hindu Gods: Brahma, the creator, Vishnu, the
preserver, and Shiva, the destroyer. These three letters when pronounced
properly in unison create an invigorating effect in the body. Because of its
significance this sacred syllable is spoken before any chants to show God we
remember him. This sign in Hinduism also represents the whole universe. It
looks like this:

Another very important sign is the Swastika which is regarded divine
by Hindus. The word swastika means auspicious in the Sanskrit language and
hence is used to symbolize the welcoming of auspiciousness and driving away
evils. The symbol also represents the changing of the universe around the
unchanging nature of God. The symbol looks like this: Unfortunately
the sign has been abused by groupsuch as the Nazis
during World War II

Question 5 Child : I know Amen is used a lot in
other religions. Is it similar to Om?

Mother: No, they both have different meanings. Amen is spoken to
assert faith at the end of a religious proclamation,
and Om is spoken to
invoke the presence of God before any religious recitation.

Question 6 Child: Why do Hindus have so many gods and goddesses in
different forms to worship?

Mother: Actually, Hindus believe in only one formless and
all-pervading, all-existing, and all-blissful God. That formless God, however,
can best be realized by concentrating on various forms of ideal personalities
as recorded in the scriptures. In other words, the Hindu religion is flexible
and provides many ways to develop one's spiritual ideas in order to suit
individual needs. "Unity in the diverse plan of nature"
is recognized in the Hindu faith. Just as people tailor clothes to fit their
needs, Hindus have different gods and goddesses for their religious needs. All
these gods and goddesses resemble humans, animals or natural forces such as
wind, water, fire, sun, and moon; each has different powers to bless the world.
These godheads, when worshipped, fulfill people's desires in an easier way but
with the same qualities of blessings as from one God.

Question 7 Child: Who are some of these gods and goddesses?

Mother: Most of the gods and goddesses that are worshipped are
either incarnations of Lord Vishnu, the preserver of the universe, and his wife
Goddess Lakshmi or other deities. Some commonly
worshipped gods and goddesses include: Vishnu (worshipped in various forms and
names such as Venkateshwara, Jagannatha,
Tirupati, Bithala or Balaji), Shiva who is also known as Mahadeva
or Mahesha, (Shiva-linga, a
symbol of Lord Shiva which is commonly worshipped instead of his image), Rama, Krishna, Hanumana or Mahaveera, Ganesha, the older son
of Lord Shiva and who is also known as Ganapati or Vighneswara, and Subramanyam or Kartikeya, the younger son of Lord Shiva. Shiva's wife Parvati (who is also known as Gauri,
Uma or Meenakshi and also
exists in her incarnated form of Durga or Kali is
worshipped as a Divine Mother. Lord Brahma is not usually worshipped but his
wife Saraswati is worshipped as the Goddess of
learning. Goddess Saraswati is the favorite deity of
students in schools and colleges. Lakshmi is
worshipped as the Goddess of wealth and prosperity and is favorite deity of
business people. Sita, Lord Rama's
wife, and Radha, Lord Krishna's companion, are other feminine deities who are adored. Commonly Lord Rama is worshipped as part pf a family, along with his dear
brother Lakshamana his wife Sita
and his devout hero of the epic Ramayana, Hanumana.
Also, Lord Krishna is usually worshipped along with Radha,
a staunch lover and devotee of the Lord. Gayatri, the
most powerful feminine force and the prescribed deity of the Vedas, is
worshipped universally in Hinduism by reciting the Gayatri
Mantra. This mantra is a powerful chant worshipping the light of the universe.
Lord Satyanarayana is another incarnation of Lord
Vishnu and is commonly worshipped in Hindu homes together with family and
friends.

Each Hindu God and Goddess has a form of appearance which carries a
special symbolic meaning. Some of them have multiple arms or heads which
represents their greater capabilities to provide protection for people.
Multiple arms express their domination over all directions of space, and
multiple heads indicate their broad vision. Many Gods and Goddess ride on
animal-vehicle (Vahan) to accomplish their mission. of protecting people. A crown on a deity's head represents
the supremacy of the divine power over common people. The images or pictures of
Gods and Goddesses are used for the purpose of instilling devotion in us during
worship. Later, I will tell you about the forms and features of some common
Gods and Goddesses.

Question 8 Child: Mom, can you tell me about the scriptures in Hindusim?

Mother: Unlike other religions Hinduism is not based on any one sacred writing. Instead it has many sacred books
which support the basic thoughts of the Vedas. Several of these writings have
been translated into foreign languages and have been much appreciated
world-wide. Two such writings which happen to be folklore of the Hindu
scriptures and are the most commonly used by the Hindus are the Ramayana and
Mahabharata. Both of these are in epic form, the former being the oldest and
the latter the largest of the epics. Both glorify the principles of the Vedas
in a simple way. The celebrated Bhagavad-Gita is a part of the great epic,
Mahabharata.

Question 9 Child:Mom,
would you please tell me about the sacred books which you have just mentioned?
I have often heard about them, but I don't have a clear understanding of their
contents.

Mother:The
Ramayana relates the life story of Ramchandra, the
ideal man who is also considered a famous God by Hindus. He was the oldest of
the four sons of king Dasharath of Ayodhya -Rama, Lakshmana, Bharata and Shatrughna. In his early life Rama
was trained as a great archer. He showed his valor by killing many unbeatable
demons who used to harass saints while they worship.
Later, at the time of his coronation, he was exiled to the forest by his
jealous step mother Kaikeyi for 14 years. Rama's wife Sita and his brother Lakshmana accompanied him in exile. During the exile Sita was abducted by the demon Ravana.
In order to rescue SitaRama
later killed Ravana with the help of the great monkey
armies of Sugreeva and Hanumana.
Rama returned to Ayodhya
and became its king after finishing his exile.

The Ramayana has seven Cantos. This epic was originally written by
the sage Valmiki a long time ago and then by others
in many regional Indian languages. More recently, Tulsidas,
a famous poet of the seventeenth century, rewrote the story of the Ramayana in
Hindi folk language to make it more popular. The book is known as RamcharitManas. The main
teaching of the Ramayana is to show the human race the proper way of living, devotion
to God, obedience to elders, and a path of moral duties.

The Mahabharata, on the other hand, is the story of a family feud.
The cousins Pandavas and Kauravas
who were the descendants of the great Hindu king, Bharata,
were involved in a fight in the battle of Kurukshetra.
Krishna who possessed a godly power and who
was a relative of the family took the side of Pandavas.
During the battle he preached the great gospel of the Bhagvad-Gita
to Arjuna for whom he was working as a charioteer in
the battle. The Mahabharata is an encyclopedia of Hindu dharma and is sometimes
referred to as the fifth Veda.

The glorious and famous Bhagavad-Gita is the essence of the
Mahabharata and Upanishads. It contains the essentials of Hindu dharma in the
form of a dialogue between Lord Krishna and Arjuna
who represents the average person. Bearing the essence of the
Upanishads, the teachings of the Gita focus on
performing one's proper duty while keeping the body and mind sound and poised.
The Gita is highly respected among the sacred
writings of the world and has been translated into numerous languages. As a
matter of fact, the Bhagavad-Gita is the most precious jewel in the Hindu
scriptures.

Question 10 Child:Mom,
can you tell me about divine incarnations in Hinduism?

Mother: Yes, dear. We believe that whenever there is decline in
religious activity on earth Lord Vishnu appears in order to save the human race
from an unrighteous way of life, to destroy evils, and to show people a path of
dharma (the right duty). The process of such appearances of God is referred to
as divine incarnations (avatars). There are ten famous incarnation forms of
God. They are the Fish (matsya), the Tortoise (kurma or kachhapa), the Boar (varah), the Human-lion (nara-sinha),
the Dwarf (vamana), Parashu-Rama
(the God with an axe), Rama of the (Ramchandra, the hero of the epic Ramayana and destroyer of
demon Ravana), Krishna (the teacher famous
Bhagavad-Gita), Buddha (the ascetic prince) and Kalki,
(the yet to appear deity, riding on a white horse).

Divine incarnations are an integral part of the Hindu beliefs. Each
incarnation is related to fulfilling a particular objective. The objective of
the Fish form was to save the sage Manu from his destruction by flood. The
Tortoise form helped the human race to recover from the ocean the essentials of
life which were lost in the deluge. Rescue of the earth from the grip of the
demon, Hiranyaksha, was achieved by the Boar form.
The Human-lion form helped the human race from the oppressions of the demon, Hiranyakasipu. The Dwarf form was helpful in restoring the
power of gods from the grips of the demon king Bali.
The furious God Parashurama destroyed the Kshatriya rulers who were oppressing the people. Lord Rama and Lord Krishna were incarnated to destroy the demons
Ravana and the Kansa respectively. The objective of
Lord Buddha was to stop animal sacrifice and to teach piety. The objective of
the Kalki form is supposed to be the destruction of
evils of the present age (Kaliyuga, the age of
strife) and the protection of virtues.

Question 11 Child: How is the caste system related to Hinduism?

Mother: My child, this is one of the most commonly asked questions
about Hinduism. The caste system was an important part of the Hindu way of
life. During the Vedic age a social classification system called Varnashrama was devised so that the human race could have a
smooth and ordered life in society. The system created the castes of Brahmins,
the intellectual class, Kshatriyas, the warrior
class, Vaishyas, the trader class and Shudras, the service people. Don't you see that every
society has a need for teachers and/or preachers, defense, trade and commerce,
and service even today? Our forefathers realized this need for order in society
even then. Of course, the original concept of social order has been abused over
the ages into its present mutilated form. The original caste system also
supported the moving of individuals from one caste to another based on one's
actions and performance in society. Isn't this concept of Hinduism true in
modern living? Of course, it is.

Question
12 Child: Mom, please tell me about the Hindu calendar. How is it different
from the Gregorian calendar?

Mother: Most fasts and festivals in Hinduism are based on
the lunar calendar year. According to this, one lunar year is divided into 12
months of 30 days each. Each month is divided into two halves of 15 days, dark
and bright. The names of the Hindu months in relation to the western calendar
are:

Chaitra/March-April

Vaishakha/April-May

Jyestha/May-June

Ashadha/June-July

Shravana/July-August

Bhadrapada/August-September

Ashwina/September-October

Kartika/October-November

Margsheersha/November-December

Pausha/December-January

Magha/
January-February

Phalguna/February-March.

The 11th day of each half(Ekadashi)
and the full moon day of each month (Purnima) are
considered very auspicious for fasts and worship and for obtaining blessings
from the Almighty Lord.

Question
13 Child: Mom, can you tell me something about the Hindu festivals and fasts?

Mother: My child, there are many designated days to fast
throughout the Hindu year. Fasts are considered to be an important part of many
Hindu festivals and worship. All Hindu festivals and fasts have great religious
significance as well as social love and hygienic elements embedded in them.
These fasts and festivals are meant to relieve people from worldly day to day
routine, and make them relaxed, cheerful and happy. I will briefly tell you
about some of the important festivals and fasts which are commonly observed by
Hindus. They are:

Holi,
the festival of colors, is celebrated in the spring on the full moon (purnima) day of the month of Phalguna.
It signifies the destruction of the demonessHolika, the sister of the demon, Hiranyakashipu,
and the preservation of the child-devotee and very righteous person Prahlad. Lighting of bonfires, symbolizing burning of
the demoness, the mutual splashing of brighly colored waters (usually the color of blood,
red) and socializing with family and friends are the celebration aspects
of Holi.

Deepawali
or Diwali, the festival of light occurs in the
autumn on the fifteenth day of the dark side of the month (amavashya) of Kartika. It
signifies Lord Rama's homecoming after 14 years
of exile. It is the gayest of all Hindu festivals. Every city, town and
village is cleaned and decorated with numerous flickering lamps or
electric lights. It is a great social festival which is dedicated to
Goddess Lakshmi. It is also a celebration of the
new year (based on Vikram
Calendar) by buisiness people.

Navaratri
or Dashahara, the festival of nine nights, is
celebrated in autumn, between the first (Mahalaya
day) and the tenth day of the bright half of the month of Ashwina (VijayaDashami day when Lord Rama
Killed Ravana). It is dedicated to Goddess Durga or Kali (goddess of valor). The festival
signifies the victory of Lord Rama over demon Ravana indicating supremacy of goodness over evils.
Frequently, during the festival people burn the effigies of Ravana and worship mother Durga.

MakaraSankranti is a festival to celebrate the start
of the Hindu new year according to the solar
Hindu calendar and takes place on January 14 every year in the month of Magha. It is celebrated with social get-togethers,
feasts, group songs and dances. MakaraSankranti festival is also known as Lohri or Pongal.

Shivaratri,
the wedding celebration of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati,
takes place on the 14th day of the dark half of the month of Phalguna and is dedicated to the worship of Lord
Shiva. Fasting until the worship is considered very desirable for
blessings by the Lord.

VasantaPanchami is celebrated at the coming of spring
on the fifth day of the bright half of the month of Magha
to adore the Goddess of learning, Saraswati. The
color yellow, a symbol of auspiciousness, spirituality and the spring
season, becomes common during the festivities.

RamaNavami, the birthday of Lord Rama,
is on the ninth day of the bright half of the month of Chaitra
and is dedicated to the worship of Lord Rama.
Recitation of the Ramayana and stage-playing the life story of Lord Rama called Ramaleela are
some of the important parts of the celebration.

Janmashtami,
the birthday of Lord Krishna, is on the eight day of the dark half of the
month of Bhadrapada and is dedicated to the
worship of Lord Krishna. The worship usually takes place during the
midnight hour after which devotees break their fasts kept for the occasion
for obtaining blessings.

Ugadi,
Vishu and GudiParva are the Hindu new year
celebrations that fall on the first day of the month of Chaitra according to the lunar calendar. The festival
signals the end of the winter harvesting season and the start of the
upcoming one. Thanksgiving to God is celebrated by rejoicing through
dancing and singing on the occasion.

Onam,
a social festival in the month of Bhadrapada is
dedicated to Lord Vishnu in the Dwarf incarnation form. Decorating the
houses with flowers and boat racing are some of the form of rejoicing the
occasion.

Hanumana
or MahaveeraJayanti
is celebrated on the birthday of the god of strength, Hanumana,
by adoring him. The day falls on the full moon (Purnima)
day of the month of Chaitra.

GaneshaChaturthi is celebrated on the fourth day of the
brightside of Bhadrapada
by worshiping the elephant headed God of wisdom and obstacles. An image of
the Lord is freshly made and decorated for the worship.

RakshaBandhana or BhaiyaDooj is celebrated as a token of a sister's love for
her brother. Sisters tie a Rakhi, a colorful
combination of threads around the wrist of their brothers symbolizing the
love and well wishes. Brothers give presents to their sisters in return. RakshaBandhan falls on the
full moon day of Shravana and BhaiyaDooj falls on the
second day of the bright side of Kartika.

Teej
or KarvaChauth is
celebrated as a wife's benediction for her husband. Married women keep a
fast for the well being of their husbands for that day. Teej falls on the third day of the dark side of Bhadrapada and KarvaChauth falls on the fourth day of the bright side of Kartika.

Guru purnima is the day when the
Guru, the spiritual teacher for an individual, is honored and worshiped.
It falls on the full moon day of the month of Ashadha.
As a matter of fact the Almighty Lord is adored indirectly in the form of
the Guru who has imparted the knowledge and wisdom to his disciple.

Question 14 Child: Can you please tell me something about the stages of
life in Hinduism?

Mother: Yes, Hindus believe that spiritual development in one's life
can be achieved by passing through four equal stages during a life span of 108
years. Each stage is called ashrama, and spans 27
years. In the first or child stage, the development of moral
values are emphasized by studying with teachers. In the second stage,
the pleasures of marriage and family life are enjoyed along with other
aspirations and achievements while good citizenship is emphasized. In the third
stage, less emphasis is put on worldly affairs and more attention is given to
the spiritual aspects. This is to prepare for the fourth and final stage when a
Hindu is supposed to experience the true spirituality of nature and be close to
the final objective of liberation from worldly bondage (moksha).

Question 15 Child: Mom, can you please tell me something about Yoga? People
often talk about Yoga exercises, and they say that these originally came from
Hindus.

Mother: Yes, they are correct. Hindus seek enlightenment through
Yoga. Yoga is a vast system of seeking spirituality in life by controlling body
and mind. The word itself means "union with God." There are several
paths for achieving this union and there are several Yogas
mentioned in our scriptures. One of many Yogas
is Hatha Yoga and deals with physical exercises for
good health. Asanas and breath control system is
called pranayama. These asanas
and pranayamas are based on activating the seven
coiled energy centers in the human body called chakras. It is logical that good
health will induce a sound mind, hence better
concentration on God can be realized. It is this particular Yoga, which is only
a small part of the Hindu Yoga system that you often hear about in the western
world

Question 16 Child: Mom, sometimes you talk about sacred rites and
ceremonies. Are those related to our religion?

Mother: Very much so. A Hindu way of living is wrapped around
various holy rites called Sanskar for obtaining
spiritual nourishment, peace of mind and the ultimate goal of liberation, moksha. These sanskars consist of
rituals and sacrifices that are performed during a Hindu life for receiving
spirituality and high sanctity. They give a spiritual touch to the important
events at different stages of a Hindu life-- from pre-birth to post-death.
There are 16 important sanskars prescribed in our
scriptures that purify a Hindu life. A ceremonial hair cutting for the first
time after birth or a ceremony for the purpose of initiation is a good example
of a rite. There are some rites which are performed even before birth. Some
important sanskars include the naming of a child (Namakaran), the formal initiation to Hinduism (Upanayan), marriage (Vivah), and
the rites after death (Shradha).

Question 17 Child: Mom, I often hear about vegetarian and non vegetarian
foods in Hindu homes. Could you please tell me something about this?

Mother: As I mentioned earlier, our scriptures show us ways to
obtain a sound body and mind in order to lead a proper way of life. Proper
intake of food is necessary for this purpose. Hence the scriptures recommend
only those foods which are tasty and can be digested easily and such foods are
said to be in the "mode of goodness" (satwik).
Vegetarian food by nature falls in this category. Although our scriptures do
not say specifically not to eat non-vegetarian food, but they do emphasize the
mode of goodness considerations in selecting the foods we eat. The selection
between the two types of foods is up to the individual.

Question 18 Child: Mom, you have given me a broad description of Hinduism.
Can you please tell me briefly who is a Hindu and what
a Hindu does?

Mother: Yes. I have told you various aspects of the Hindu way of
life. Now I'll repeat the major points and add a few more important facts.
First of all, I emphasize that Hinduism is a religion of freedom. In the
recommendations for Hindu way of living, there is absolute freedom for understanding
the nature of God, forms of god and worship and the goal of life. Those who
accept the teachings of the Vedas as the basis of dharma, follow the rule of
conduct as instructed therein, believe in one Supreme God Brahma, consider life
to be sacred, practice non-violence (Ahimsa), and believe in the rebirth of a
soul (reincarnation), are Hindus.

Also, those who see godliness in mother, father,teacher,
and all guests and believe in the holiness of the river Ganges which is
considered to be Lord Brahma's blessing to the world, are Hindus. Those who
believe in the holiness of cows which are considered as Lord Krishna's
loving companions and the providers of mother-like nourishing milk for
infants, are Hindus. And those who believe in the Bhagavad-Gita, and the Gayatri Mantra, the supreme and powerfully divine chant,
are Hindus.

Besides visiting deities in temples, a Hindu maintains a shrine in
the home for regular worship. Home worship is common on a social basis and also
when family and friends worship together. Hindus also respect all elders and
believe in giving to charities. Above all, Hindus love all religions of the
world. Living as a member of the "world family" and praying for the
welfare of the entire human race are the ways of Hindu life.

OM -- SHANTIH
(PEACE)! SHANTIH (PEACE)! SHANTIH (PEACE)! -- OM

Hinduism Simplified : Summary

[Author's Note
: A one page of summary of Hindu beliefs and disciplines as Hinduism
Simplified is attached at the end of the booklet for a quick reference. The ten
disciplines (Yams and Niyams) of sage Patanjali have been likened to the ten
commandments in the religious teachings of the West. This comparison has
been used only to provide catchword for youth. As a matter of fact, Hinduism
recommends, it does not command.]

By GangadharChoudhary

With great pleasure I have gone
through the booklet entitled Hinduism Simplified prepared by Sri GangadharChoudhary. This booklet
is intended to convey the basics of Hinduism to the children of Hindu parents
in this country. Unlike their parent s who grew up in India
and received the advantages of our rich socio-cultural heritage, the children
of Hindu parents in this country are growing up in a totally different
environment. It is very important that they receive and assimilate at least the
rudiments
of Hinduism and thus equip themselves to face the challenges inevitable while
growing up in a western technological society. The present booklet seeks to
fill this important need. The question-and-answer format chosen by the author
is particular ly appropriate for this purpose. I
believe that this booklet will be very useful to Hindu parents residing in this
country in giving their children the essential background about the sublime
truths of Vedanta and the noble values of Sanatana
Dharma.